The Marvel Encyclopedia Review

A defective guide to the Marvel Universe.

DK Publishing has released numerous comic-related coffee table books from Conan to X-Men to Superman. The books are almost always well-written, informative and worthy of a place on any fan's bookshelf. Because of DK's excellent track record, the latest edition of The Marvel Encyclopedia is especially disappointing. Filled with inaccuracies and curious omissions, what could have been DK's most prized comic-book guide is instead its worst.

On the surface, the Marvel Encyclopedia appears to be an attractive resource for casual and hardcore fans alike. Boasting more than 1000 entries, the Encyclopedia offers basic stats (real name, height, etc.) and a cursory history of many Marvel characters. The guide features contributions from Tom DeFalco, Tom Brevoort and Peter Sanderson -- people who truly know their Marvel history inside and out. It would seem that this book (which is packed with illustrations from the past 40 years of Marvel comics) could do no wrong. And there will be many who purchase this book believing that to be so.

Upon closer examination, the haphazard editing becomes quite clear. There are numerous mistakes throughout the book, which negate any of the positives. After all, if you can't trust all of the facts provided, then truly you can't trust any of the facts. Do not blame the authors for these errors. These mistakes fall on the shoulders of the editors and designers who did not take enough care in updating the Marvel Encyclopedia.

What it appears DK has done is take old entries from previous books and attempted to tack on one or two sentences of an update. In some instances this works very well. In others it leads to some miscues. For example, Ms. Marvel is shown with art from her new series (conveniently titled Ms. Marvel), but is listed under the name Warbird. She's no longer going as Warbird and has not been for some time. Even the description explains this. So why is she listed under Warbird?

The book talks about the events of House of M very briefly, but fails to not the characters, such as Jubilee, who have since lost their powers. Considering House of M has been finished for a year now, it would seem that this information could be a little more current.

The lack of updates goes back further than just the past year. Emma Frost's occupation is listed as Headmistress of the Massachusetts Academy. She's been with the X-Men for a considerable time now. According to the Encyclopedia, she is teaching Generation X. There is no mention of her relationship with Cyclops or the fact that she has a secondary mutation that allows her to turn to a diamond form. Anyone reading the Encyclopedia to get caught up on the Marvel U is going to be in for a surprise when they pick up the comics.

There are also a number of strange omissions. While the 2099 characters are listed, important characters in the Marvel U, including Cassandra Nova are not. However, Nova is mentioned in several other entries. But wouldn't it make sense to give her an entry?

When The Marvel Encyclopedia gets it right, it's a nice resource for comics fans. The fact that this doesn't happen often enough is unacceptable. Though it may look pretty when you see it on the shelf, know that the Marvel Encyclopedia is a mess. DK Publishing was sloppy in putting this book together. Too bad it's probably the most important comics-related book they have published.